Bat wing and love reacquainted

I made a bat. Its name is Bunpire Rabbat. Weird name? I got the idea by combining the popular suggestions on Instagram comments on this post. Can you tell it means bunny-vampire-bat?

The body is adapted from the baby rhino, with bigger ears. After receiving the comments, I was excited because a bat isn’t an animal I’ve thought of making.

The challenge

The challenge I gave myself is to make the wings soft, yet stiff.

Previously, I’ve used wires to make posable limbs that hold poses, in the Dandelion darlings], and more recently on the Cou-reindeers. However, this is a baby. Soft, cuddly, squishy baby. I want the “user experience” to extend to the wings as well.

From my sketch studies, I drew the wing template using the actual doll as a guide. Then, I cut out the shape from the same fabric I made the baby bat with.

Prepared for errors

Ample seam allowance was given to allow for trial and error, 4 times as much as my usual. Hopefully enough wriggle room for many errors.

I used a combination of the usual running stitch, top stitch, french seam, top stitch, whip stitch, and some other ways of manipulating fabric I’m not sure there’s even a name for.

Using the basic stitching mentioned, 4 different tactile qualities are achieved, on the same 2 layers of fabric.

Love reacquainted

Again, I am reminded why I love working with fabric. We are friends. We respond to each other’s whims and fancies. Sometimes one gives in, sometimes one retaliates. It is like a tug-o-war with an old pal but in my hands.